Kings & Queens
by Ka-tay's mind
Summary: "Your final team has already been chosen in a sense so what you'll be doing is relatively simple: have your pick at the pool and make yourself a team of kings and queens." After all, life may deal the cards, but you can choose what game you wish to play. Two kids are sent off on an adventure to learn, to grow, and most importantly, to see that the world isn't as harsh as it seems.
1. C0: Challenge Accepted

**PROLOGUE - CHALLENGE ACCEPTED**

* * *

Rane likes to think that this is the final stage before they're official even though she knows that's not true.

It is a fact, it is a truth- she and Basil were way past that 'final' stage, they've been past that since they were ten, they've been training for what felt like ages after all.

For _months_ she had learned everything her Master could teach her, she would be _damned_ to Distortion if she didn't live up to Azalea's name and do her utter best in this last little adventure that she had signed herself up for.

To her, Master Azalea is everything she strives to be: as radiant as Cresselia but as enigmatic as Darkrai, as fearsome as Giratina but as comforting as Celebi.

The woman is, and always has been, someone Rane looks up to since the day she was saved from the depths of Vermillion Forest's Beedrill Hive.

Azalea, Rane concludes when she is twelve, is strength and virtue and valor personified- Rane also concludes that she needs to do everything she can to make sure the woman's efforts in training her don't go in vain.

She wasn't going to let down the one person who saw her worth after her parent's unfortunate passing.

No, she wasn't going to disappoint the person who extended a hand to her when no one blinked in her direction, the person who picked her up and told her that she could do _wonders_ if she really tried.

And try she did.

When they had finally reached the last week of the year, Master Azalea had told her with a proud glint in her eyes that it was finally time to take that one final leap from apprentice to equals even though Rane knew Azalea had never viewed her as anything less, Rane stood tall and proud and accepted this last adventure.

This one, Rane thinks, is all or nothing, and you can bet that Rane's here to take it all.

* * *

Basil is still juggling between cursing and thanking the heavens for the way his life has been turning out, but lately he's been coming to terms with things.

He's taken aback by the change he's done to himself over the past years under his Master's tutelage.

He's willing to bet that the eight year old him would be pretty awestruck by the current him, and he really does have Master Redwood to thank.

Redwood is support and a force to be reckoned with.

In his heart, Basil _truly_ believes that he will never reach his Master's level, and while he's come to accept that as a fact, Redwood refuses to acknowledge such a statement. Still, while the boy knows that he won't reach his Master's league, he knows he _has_ to try.

It's the least Basil can do for everything Redwood has done for him.

After all, if it's one thing Basil can't stand, it's giving up, especially when Redwood had poured in so much effort into helping Basil get to where he was today. He couldn't give Basil some miraculous cure, but he did give Basil a challenge of sorts to complete before time runs out, '_carpe diem' _as they like to say.

He had been wary in the beginning, snarky even when Redwood gave him the proposal.

'_Why should I? You know I'm sick, you're wasting your time unless you have a cure.' _Defiant, stubborn, defeated. Ultimately he had nothing left to lose: Vermillion was wrecked by that freak of an attack, his family was gone, and he found out he was on a time limit- it was bad news after bad news after bad news.

Yet, one thing that both Redwood and Basil knew about the latter was that how unlikely it would be for the boy to turn down a challenge.

'_I don't have a cure,' _A frown, _'Still, I think it's better than staying around here waiting for time to be up, so why not?' _

And it was as though there was this magnetic pull that lured Basil into this epic adventure that he wouldn't even have dared to dream about but here he was standing before Redwood and accepting what he feels like is the last challenge he will undertake as Redwood's apprentice.

If Basil's really kicking the bucket early, you better bet that he'll go out with a bang.

* * *

To get the obvious aside, the older duo looked troubled and exhausted and Basil was sure they were going to collapse.

"Things are getting tough," The older girl in the room said, a flash of worry in her eyes. "That's why we believe that it's time to send you two off on this journey."

Rane bit her lip, Basil's brow furrowed.

The woman's gaze softened, "The two of you are smart, you know why you can't join us in this. You two still have much to experience before you're on par with us."

She closed her eyes, a smile gracing her lips when the older male beside her placed a comforting hand on the small of her back.

"Rane, Basil, are you ready for your final challenge?"

The two thirteen year old's respective 'Yes, Master's was firm and unyielding.

The young adults gave them proud smiles that made them look much younger than they were behind their exhausted faces.

"From tomorrow onwards, contact with us will be scarce- the team is going to be worked to the ground for our upcoming operations, and this is your journey so we won't be intervening unless it truly calls for it." He looked regretful about the first part, weary for what's to come but he continued on. "You'll be able to message us, but understand that replies may take a while."

He smiled, "I can't say too much or I'll spoil the surprise so just enjoy the entire experience, alright?"

The younger duo nodded.

"Any questions?"

Rane couldn't help it, "When will your operations be over?"

Master Azalea gave her a weary smile. "The range is between ten to twelve months, and maybe even more if things get out of hand."

Rane was biting her lip again, casting a quick look at Basil who had stiffened at the answer. "That long?"

"There's a lot to be done, and we wanna get it done as quickly as possible too but you never know what might happen." Master Redwood answered, a hand still on the small of Azalea's back tracing mindless characters against the fabric of her shirt.

Basil and Rane shared a look, conversations flying past their gazes.

"Is there anything else?"

"No."

Redwood nodded, "Then it's time to let you know of your challenge." Something in his eyes changed, a shift from a brother calming down his younger siblings to a Master who now stood taller and radiated with an energy they just couldn't look away from.

"Tomorrow, at the very spot where you two received your starters, your challenge begins."

* * *

"Do you think I'll make it through this one?"

No matter how many times Basil would ask this one question before a challenge, Rane wasn't able to stop the images that flashed through her mind. It had been hard in the beginning, picturing the sudden loss of her closest friend and it definitely doesn't get easier.

She replied in typical Rane-like fashion.

"Straight to the end of it."

Basil sighed, shoulders sagging a little when Perses nipped him unhappily, crimson eyes almost glaring at his trainer.

The boy ran a finger along the male Nidoran's fuchsia hide soothingly, a silent apology in his eyes.

Rane watched the exchange quietly, pitying the defeated looks on both trainer and Pokemon. They've already had this conversation long ago, and Basil's plans had already been set. Still, Rane could see the pure agony in Perses' eyes whenever it was brought up.

While she hadn't been there when Basil broke the news to his starter, she would never forget the pure terror the Nidoran had exhibited when they returned from where they had been talking. In a span of days, the tiny Poison-type had changed in a way Rane couldn't quite word to this very day.

"You've made it this far. Bit of a waste to not see it to the end, don't you think? I know that Perses agrees with me, don't you, Perses?"

Perses nodded quickly, earning a rub between his ears from the girl.

They sat together for a while longer, both voicing their own train of thoughts until the sun had set and it was time to return to the Pokemon Centre which they had been teleported to by their Masters.

Rane picked up Isis from one of the young fellows working in front of the 'Collection' station right beside the 'Drop Off' station, bidding the slightly older boy a 'goodnight' before she rejoined Basil as they took to the stairs, nodding at each other before going into their own rooms, a knowing glint flashing in their eyes.

Tomorrow, their adventure begins.


	2. C1: Are You Ready?

**CHAPTER 1 - Are You Ready? (Ready As I'll Ever Be)**

* * *

They met right outside the cave entrance of Mt. Moon, excitement in their systems because this was it- the day they finally took another step forward from training.

Rane had a little bounce in her step despite the fact that it was just dawn, and even Basil had a wide grin on his face. On their heels, Perses and Isis walked quietly beside their trainers, ears twitching and scarlet eyes wide with alert.

"Here we go," Basil declared, eyes the color of the shadowed leaves staring straight into the entrance.

Rane nodded, her curls bouncing. She grabbed the boy's hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze. "Here we go." She echoed, dark chocolate eyes bright with eagerness.

There was no hesitation when they entered.

They knew the route so well that they could've walked in blind. After all, the very place they were heading towards was where their world had opened up to something much, much larger.

It was during the final turn when it happened.

The moving ball- a Rollout attack, they both noted- was heading straight towards them. It was too fast to command an attack so by pure muscle memory the duo dove to different sides, their Nidorans mirroring the movements of their trainers.

When they both realized who their assailant was, near identical grins appeared on trainers and Pokemon it was almost uncanny.

The familiar Sandslash unfolded itself from its ball-like shape and turned to face them, a twinkle in its onyx eyes. It poised itself to strike, as though daring the trainers to attack.

A quick look was shared between the thirteen year olds, fire igniting in their eyes and a nod was passed.

"Isis, Disable."

"Perses, Double Kick."

The commands were called out so quickly, but even despite that the Sandslash had opened its mouth and shot a series of spinning stars.

"Poison Sting, Perses," Basil ordered swiftly, watching as his Nidoran promptly countered the Swift attack. Isis caught the Sandslash in an aura of blue light, signaling the success of the Disable attack.

"Double Kick,"

The attack landed, propelling the Sandslash back just barely. The blue light surrounding it wavered for a moment as the Sandslash stood still in utter concentration before its eyes snapped open, immediately ceasing Disable's effects. Isis was thrown off her feet, shaking her head as she righted herself up. Perses was at her front instantly, a protective and wary stance before the Ground-type.

Rane gasped, never seeing this particular technique before.

Basil's eyes narrowed, the gears in his brain running. "Perses-"

He was interrupted by the tapping of Sandslash's foot against the ground, the usual signal that the impromptu battle has come to an end. It gave them a smile of its own, its eyes forming into crescents as it moved to check on Isis.

Perses and Basil moved aside to let the Pokemon through, watching carefully as the Sandslash poked Isis between the eyes gently after deeming her okay. It nodded at the two trainers and the Nidorans, giving them another crescent eyed smile before making itself scarce with a quick Rollout, going towards their destination.

Rane had knelt onto the ground, running a gloved hand over Isis, careful to avoid the poison spikes on its body. She murmured quietly to her female Nidoran, earning a growl of assurance that yes, it was okay.

"Never seen him pull that move out before," Basil said aloud, earning a nod from his female companion. Rane sighed as she stood up, brushing dirt off her jeans. "Master may have taught us her tricks, but she still has a lot more up her sleeve."

"Let's keep moving then. We're almost there."

* * *

It was brighter outside than before when they had just entered.

They let their eyes adjust to the difference in lighting and the moment they could see clearly, they began looking around for whatever that had been left behind by their respective Masters.

They didn't take long, easily finding their gifts at the base of the birch tree where they would lounge after a particularly hard day of training.

This secluded spot held a lot of memories for the duo, the very point they had crossed milestones upon milestones in their journeys as apprentices were right here hidden away from prying eyes.

Basil and Rane met here. They underwent one of the toughest training in this spot. They received their starters here. This place was _their _spot, their sanctuary and escape- and now it was also the starting point of their newest journey.

Two letters, one for each of them written in the familiar handwriting of their respective Master was on the grass, each weighted down by the dark Moon Stone.

Perses and Isis were in a trance of some sort, staring at what was obviously _their _evolutionary stone.

"You can look at it, but don't touch it, alright?" Rane gently reminded, earning unconscious nods from both Nidorans. She turned her attention back to Basil, who had picked up his letter and was staring intently on it, as though he could already read its contents.

Rane picked hers up, letting her fingers run across the smooth surface of the paper.

With one final glance of reassurance at each other and a million thoughts running through their minds, they opened their letters.

* * *

_'Hey Basil,_

_Welcome to the adventure that's gonna be one hell of a story to tell at the dinner table in a few years. _

_To start this off, I know that Azalea and I both agree on this: we're proud of you- you've grown up from the angry little kid back at Vermilion City to this amazing person, and you chose this life for yourself. No matter what everyone else says, just know that you have what it takes to pull through._

_In a deck of fifty-two playing cards, the King is usually the highest-ranking face card. _

_Out of so many cards there are only four Kings, one per suite- the chances of you picking a King card from a shuffled deck is 0.018. Now read the previous paragraph again- __usually_,_ not always. The other forty-nine cards have their own uses as well, it all depends on how well you play the cards you have on hand. _

_So there's my conclusion: any card can be a King, as long as the person playing the hand knows how to make use of it. _

_Your final team has already been chosen in a sense so what you'll be doing is relatively simple: have your pick at the pool and make yourself a king. Six kings for your final team sounds nifty doesn't it, and you're already starting strong. _

_I know that you might feel like you're on a time limit- but that doesn't mean you can't take time to stop and take in everything around you. You don't have to live life like you're in the fast lane. Take time to slow down and you'll notice things you've never noticed before. _

_Vermilion City is known as 'the port of exquisite sunsets', though you definitely know that, don't you? Do us a favour, will you? The day before you begin this epic journey, hang around Vermilion Harbor and do some horizon watching. _

_It's a big, big world out there, Basil._

_There are nooks and crannies that we haven't even discovered about in every turn and corner. There are people and Pokemon out there that will change your life. There are choices to be made, decisions to the done to bring you another step closer to achieving your dreams. To sum it all up, there's so much to experience outside of your comfort zone that it borderlines on terrifying and thrilling, but isn't that the best part?_

_We may not be there constantly throughout this journey of yours and Rane's, but we WILL be there for you no matter what._

_Remember, help is always there when you ask for it. Also, remember that sometimes you don't have to do all this alone- it can get terribly lonely out there, kid, and as much as we tell you to enjoy your own company, there's usually a positive outcome when you're with the right people and Pokemon._

_Immerse yourself into the city, the people in it and everything else- make trustworthy contacts and build the bridge once you deem it fit. Don't hang around anything or anyone that makes you feel like it's not worth it, and stay close to who keeps you feeling alive. _

_Always remember that a king still needs supporters to be king. _

_Moving on, here's a little last minute advice I'll be giving you: you'll learn to pick up a ton of skills throughout your journey, so ask and learn, a lot of people are willing to teach. And whatever that can't be taught you can learn it yourself: observe, always keep an eye out for anything and everything. Remember that the tiniest details can turn the tide in your favour._

_Stay sharp, kid. _

_Just like what Azalea will have said in Rane's letter, it's time to send you off. _

_Location #1: the sea is vast and deep and doesn't seem like it has an end to it- maybe then you'll see how small you truly are in a world so big- but you can always make a difference no matter how small of a light you are in the darkest of nights. _

_Your very own legend is about to unfold! A world with dreams and adventures and so much more- go have fun, Basil, you've got this, I believe in you. _

_Yours truly, _

_Redwood_

* * *

_'Hey Rane, _

_This is it. Your first leap to taking your destiny by its reins and driving it towards where you want to go. _

_First of all, Wood and I really hope you know how proud we are of you. We pretty much watched you grow up from that terrified little girl back in Viridian City to a brilliant person, and you worked hard to reach where you are now. Regardless of whatever people throw at you, always remember that you've got this._

_Did you know that the Queen is the strongest piece in a game of chess? _

_She can move any number of squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally. Also in a game of chess, when a pawn from your side is moved all the way to the other end, you get to promote your pawn and guess what? By far the most common type of piece a pawn is promoted into is a queen because of the relative power she holds. _

_Sure you can promote your pawn into any other position, but we want the best for our team, no? _

_And that's what you'll be doing. _

_While there are eight pawns on your side of the chessboard, we're changing the rules up a little to fit to your adventure. Six pawns into six queens, and you'll be the very queen leading them right to it. _

_You've made it this far, and you'll only be going further, this time with a team by your side. _

_Viridian City is known to be the 'City of Evergreen', it's also the gateway to the Pokemon League. It's the nearest town to Pallet Town, the town of pure white beginnings. Viridian City holds a promising start for many people, the mere aura it holds is one of persistence, just like the forest around it. So give the place a go, see it with eyes that will see it differently the next time you come around. _

_This world is huge, Rane, larger than I could ever hope to tell you. _

_You'll find chinks and niches that no one else has even found out about yet with every move you make. You'll meet people and Pokemon that will take your life on one hell of a ride. You'll make choices and decisions that will either bring you forward, backward or even make you wonder off the path you wanted to take- and that's okay, it really is. Long story short, you'll encounter so many things that can happen under this sky that will either be so out of your mind or the most sensible thing on earth- either way, that exhilaration you'll feel, isn't that the best part? _

_We may not be able to accompany you on this journey of yours and Basil's, but this doesn't mean we aren't there for you. We always will be, no matter what. Help is always here when you ask for it, remember this. And also remember that you're not alone in this- there are days where you may feel like you're all alone and no one understands you, but we promise you Rane, that you can find a silver lining in a lot of things, you just need to look._

_So go and dive into this adventure and everything it holds in it, follow what you feel is right for your soul, and stay close to what and who keeps you feeling alive. _

_A queen can rule with or without anyone, but that doesn't mean she has to do it alone. _

_Everyone wants to be the strongest piece in the game, it's our nature, it's in our blood. But that doesn't mean you can't take the strongest down. Every single piece in the game is important, no matter how small of a significance they may appear to be. I've taught you to never underestimate anyone because anyone can be a game changer._

_Of all people to tell you this, I think I have a right to do so: learn to trust others. You're still young, there's so much you haven't experienced and there will be a lot that you won't get to if you don't put your trust in other people. I know it's tough, but trust me, it might be the best thing you'll choose to do yet. _

_And now, like what Wood will say in Basil's letter, it's time for you to go._

_Location #1: a sanctuary for those hunted to near extinction; a home that we can only substitute with our best abilities. _

_Your very own legend is about to unfold! A world with dreams and adventures and so much more- go have fun, Rane, I know that you can do this. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Azalea_

* * *

Their backpacks were filled with the normal traveling and Pokemon Trainer essentials in allocated pouches: first aid kit and the medicines of varying potions. A TM case. A Berry case.

And of course, five empty specially customized PokeBalls gifted to them by their Masters. There were extra PokeBalls for just-in-cases but both of them agreed that those five were the important ones that would be holding their teams.

There was also a special gift from their Masters- the extremely rare PokeDex, though modified again once more by a teammate of Wood and Azalea. As the rarity of the PokeDex was evident, the physical aspect of it took a turn to look more like a game console than anything.

Long story short, in Wood's words: it was basically a laptop shrunken for easier portability.

As both the apprentices set down their own letters, their gazes met in an instant, both shining with excitement. Their smiles were a reflection of each other, wide and beaming.

"Where does yours lead to?" Basil managed to ask before Rane could get the words out of her mouth.

"To quote Master's words, 'sanctuary for those hunted to near extinction; a home that we can only substitute with our best abilities'."

Basil nodded slowly, seeming to zone out for a moment as he thought about the words. Unsurprisingly, it only took him a few seconds to figure out the location. His dark green eyes met Rane's, questioning.

"Fuchsia's Safari Zone," Rane announced, earning a smug nod from the boy who had guessed correctly. "What does yours say?"

"'The sea is vast and deep and doesn't seem like it has an end to it- maybe then you'll see how small you truly are in a world so big- but you can always make a difference no matter how small of a light you are in the darkest of nights'." Basil readout, rolling his eyes. "Very vague, but I do have a clue."

Rane raised an eyebrow, urging him to elaborate.

Basil chuckled at her impatience, but even he was feeling the adrenaline to kick start this adventure.

"Judging from what Master wrote, I'd say Vermilion's lighthouse."

Rane nodded slowly, "Back to our own cities, huh." She mused, a bittersweet smile gracing her features. "For one final farewell?"

Basil shook his head.

"It's not going to be farewell- it's a see you later; we'll have to go back eventually, we both know that."

The girl sighed, running her thumb over the contents of the letter.

"I know. And we're gonna go back stronger too."

Basil nodded, bending down to pat Perses' on the head as Rane did the same.

"Damn right we are."

* * *

They planned their journey together for the rest of the day, doing a final check on anything and everything in the same clearing they received their letters well into the night.

"Let's camp out here," Basil suggested, leaning on his palms as he glanced up at the pink and purple hues of the sky.

"I was going to suggest the same thing." Rane giggled, laying down onto the grass, their Nidorans at their feet resting after their brief training session. "It's a memorable way to start this journey."

"It's settled then. I'll go get firewood," Basil said as he stood up, stretching his body and brushing the dirt off his jeans before moving into the tree line.

Rane called out for Basil before he fully disappeared though, asking if he wanted help since there wasn't much for her to do. He waved her off, telling her to just stay still and that he could handle it fine.

Most of the time there was something to do, something to busy herself with- but in this case, where everything was clear and settled all Rane could do was pick up a fallen leaf from the birch tree before an idea struck her.

By the time Basil returned, Rane had already found a suitable leaf and had done everything necessary to press it into her personal sketchbook. With a quick search through her Dex she scribbled the words 'new beginnings, regeneration, hope, new dawns, & the promise of what is to come' beside where the leaf would be. Upon looking at the newest entry, she added on a quick 'Day 0- Mt Moon, our usual spot. Off to face new adventures!'

When she heard her partner approach, she shyly showed him her work. He grinned as he took in her words, noting how symbolic it really was to start where they were given their Nidorans right under this tree.

It was almost as if Perses read his thoughts. The tiny fuchsia coloured Pokemon nudged the boy's calf affectionately, careful to avoid contact between its horn and his trainer's skin.

Basil smiled at the gesture, dropping the kindling and stones on the ground before bending to pat the Nidoran.

Once they had their standard Trainer meal and had cleaned up, they unanimously decided to end the day.

As they settled into their sleeping bags with their respective Nidorans curled up near them, Basil's voice cut through Rane's thought. "Wanna do one last run through of the plan?"

Rane giggled, nodding along to Basil's unmasked excitement. "We head to Pewter tomorrow morning," She repeated her words from the afternoon like a mantra.

"We cross over Viridian Forest into the city," Basil continued.

"I do my thing, and then we backtrack through Viridian Forest back to Pewter."

"We take Diglett's Tunnel all the way to Vermilion City and I'll do what I have to do."

"If everything goes according to plan, we'll head straight to Fuchsia City's Safari Zone." Rane ended on a high note, almost bursting with giddiness.

"That's it for now I suppose- we've gone through the plan so well I don't think we've missed anything out."

As their own thoughts ran in their minds they fell into a long stretch of silence that hung between them, though it was anything but uncomfortable for the duo after years of being close friends. Basil broke the silence first, though Rane had seemed to be expecting it, her hazel eyes almost luminescent from the moonlight.

"This is really happening, right? This isn't just some dream. Are we ready for this?"

She grinned so wide Basil thought the sun had come up.

"It's happening and you _know_ we're ready- we're going on the adventure of our lives, and it's going to be even better than anything we can ever dream of."


	3. C2: Does The Past Haunt You?

**CHAPTER 2 - Does The Past Haunt You? (I Won't Let It)**

* * *

The duo were pleased to say that everything had moved on pretty smoothly from their departure at their hideaway. They didn't linger long at Pewter, choosing to have a quick breakfast at the Pokemon Centre before departing for the gates of the city. They had talked about either crossing through Viridian Forest or bypassing the Bug-type infested forest entirely via the eastern path.

Surprisingly, they chose the former since Rane was determined to see through her Master's words of seeing the place differently. Basil, as expected, complied to her request and in the early morning, the two Trainers ventured into the forest.

"We can take the eastern path when we return back to Pewter," Rane said, slightly jittery. Isis gave her a comforting nudge on her ankle, scarlet eyes relaying the message that no harm will come to her Trainer as long as the Nidoran stood.

The telltale sounds of Bug-types reverberated through the air, a constant buzz as they trekked on the dirt path. They ran into other Trainers, some whom they battled with ease and others who gave them more trouble though their win-to-lose ratio still remained impressive.

They already had a way of battling planned out, usually allowing the challenger to choose whom to battle or just taking turns at battling. If they had the chance, they'd fit in a double battle.

Rane was hyper-aware of her surroundings, fidgeting at the slightest rustle in the leaves but quickly reeling in her fear. She had never been more grateful for Basil who helped her keep her mind off things, talking about their letters and whatever Pokemon their Master had sent them to find.

"Kings and queens, huh?" Basil whistled quietly, watching Perses' ears twitch at his voice. "We're gonna have quite the team on our hands."

"I don't doubt that one bit."

"Given any thought of who'll be waiting for you at Fuchsia?"

Rane shrugged, "The Safari Zone holds the most endangered species there is- I don't even know where to begin, much less for a 'queen'."

"But you're not looking for a 'queen'-" Basil stared at her when she stared back. "You're going to _guide_ them to _become_ a queen, not necessarily starting out with one. The same goes for me."

Rane nodded slowly, taking in Basil's words. She knew all this, of course, but that didn't make things any easier.

"We just have to see where these letters take us," Basil concluded, glancing up at the canopy of the forest. They walked in silence for a while longer, taking a break and switching out Perses for Isis so the male Nidoran could rest.

The Nidorans held strong on their own in the forest, mostly due to the training they've been put up with for over a year, building strength and honing their techniques under the watchful eyes of their Master's own Pokemon.

When they had finished setting up camp for their last night in the forest, Basil set to get their Trainer Meals while Rane set up the Pokemon food. Rane jumped to her feet when a loud buzz came from the trees behind her, eyes wide and a hand on Isis' PokeBall despite the fact that the Nidoran was released.

Basil eyed the treeline, setting down the food and whistling for Perses who immediately came to stand beside his Trainer, toxic spines already dripping with his poison.

The boy walked forward slowly, reaching into his pack for his Trainer-licensed baton that was meant more of a tool than a weapon but it worked either way.

Rane made a slightly strangled sound from the back of her throat, as still as a Metapod, frozen to her spot.

Basil moved, Perses on his heels while Isis stood by her own Trainer. After a moment of rustling the bushes, Basil returned to the girl, visibly relaxed.

"False alarm, just a Pidgey." He assured, getting a slow and uncertain nod from Rane.

The boy gently guided her down onto the grass, passing her the standard Trainer Meal and urged her to eat silently while he got the Nidorans to eat. The girl ate mechanically, not exactly tasting her food as she sat stiffly, dark chocolate eyes holding a slightly frantic gleam to them.

"Rane," Basil voice shook her out of her trance, the boy's gaze on her was understanding and empathetic. "You'll be fine, you've been doing great so far. We'll be out of here in two weeks- ten days if we make it quick." He rubbed a spot between Perses' ears, earning a satisfied growl from the Poison-type.

"So rest up, we'll leave right at dawn."

The girl sighed, running her hands through her curls as her shoulders drooped. She gave Basil another wry grin, nodding. "Thanks for that," She mumbled, scratching a spot on Isis' neck as well when Basil replied with a knowing smile.

They cleaned up quickly, settling into their sleeping bags and throwing a few more pieces of kindle into their small fire. Both of them had flipped on their PokeDexes, going through data and doing their own things before going to bed.

"Wake me if you need to, alright?" Basil said, eyeing the girl who volunteered to take first watch. Rane nodded silently, gesturing for him to sleep as she pulled her knees to her chest and stared into the fire.

It would get better, she promised herself, shutting her eyes tightly when a particularly loud buzz resonated through the night air.

To start this journey off like this, Rane has half a mind to let out a delirious laugh. If someone told her she'd be doing this a year ago or even a month ago, she'd probably call their bluff and make a quick exit.

Viridian Forest?

There was just no way.

But here she was, under the canopy of trees that extended around the city she once called her home. The sprawling fauna and the telltale sounds of its inhabitants surrounding her like-

_A cocoon. _

_Silk wrapped snugly against her body, the intense hum of Bug-types, the few rays of the setting sun that had managed to pierce through the leaves of the trees-_

Rane banished the thought away.

She set her eyes on the flickering flames before her, and then on the way the fire reflected in Isis' eyes. The female Nidoran had been staring shamelessly at her, as though reading Rane's thoughts. She had shuffled closer, ears twitching and eyes locked on Rane.

The girl pulled her starter onto her lap, careful to avoid the poison spikes.

Isis nuzzled her affectionately, growling softly with the assurance that nothing would touch her as long as the little Nidoran was by her side.

"Thank you," She murmured softly, the words barely audible though she knew the Nidoran had caught them.

She could get through this, she needed to.

* * *

Viridian City was known as 'the Gateway to Indigo Plateau', a major city that saw both rookies and experienced Trainers flooding at the start and end of their journeys.

With Pallet Town to the south and Pewter City to the north, the former which was home to the famous Professor Oak while the latter home to the Pewter City Gym where many rookie Trainers sought for the Boulder Badge, rookies would often find themselves amazed by the grand entrance located to the west where Indigo stood tall and proud.

Experienced Trainers who wished to challenge the Pokemon League could be found randomly flocking to the Viridian City Gym to battle it out for the Earth Badge. Despite the fiasco that Giovanni had caused, Green Oak had cleaned up the Gym's name once more as its new Gym Leader, proving to be just as tough of a challenge as Giovanni was, as expected of the runner up for the previous Pokemon League Championships.

But Viridian City being so close to Viridian Forest had its cons.

The swarm of Bug-types had been a problem up until Green's reign on the Viridian Gym. The man had dealt with the problem himself in the beginning, ensuring that the path in Viridian Forest ways away from any hives and even keeping a team of Trainers to be on the rotation to keep Viridian safe.

Still, what was lost could not be returned.

It was not often that the Bug-types of Viridian Forest would cause havoc in the city- they stayed in their hive and the people stayed away. It was a most unfortunate case when a smug Trainer had claimed that he caught a 'monster of a Beedrill that put up a real tough fight' from the depths of the forest, his loud voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd that he had drawn.

It was barely half an hour later when all hell broke loose.

The buzzing was the first sign, starting out as a low hum to a loud earth-shaking noise that drew people's attention from their daily lives. The leaves in the forest surrounding Viridian started rustling, and in a mere moment a literal cloud of Beedrills shot up from the greenery, their buzzing loud enough to mute the frightened screams of the people.

As one they shot down, attacking at random and unfortunate people and Pokemon who could not find shelter quick enough.

Screams pierced the air.

The Beedrill were a frenzy of black and yellow and destruction. Citizens were running and hiding while Trainers did whatever they could to stop the mess. Flamethrowers, Water Guns, Thunderbolts and many more attacks danced in the air, striking down the buzzing Poison Bee Pokemon but more just took their place. Some people and smaller Pokemon were carried away back to the forest, their screams and wails leaving others wide-eyed and terrified while everyone did everything they could to get them back.

Several Ground-types quickly erected a few earthen shelters to shield whoever that needed it, not too much help for the aerial battle while a few Pokemon formed green Protect barriers that kept people from harm.

It was just a little under thirty minutes of madness.

Had it not been for someone who had heard the bragging of the Beedrill Trainer, the disaster would've lasted much, much longer.

There was a scuffle in the earthen shelter as the Beedrill Trainer refused to believe that he was the cause of all this and that the other Trainer- a striking young girl in her early years of training- was conning him. But once the girl had managed to release the Beedrill that he had caught, it was all partly over.

The monster of a Beedrill _screeched_, larger than most of the ones outside, ruby gaze furious as it brought its poisoned stinger down onto the atrocity of its PokeBall and the capture device broke into pieces. As though that hadn't been enough, it spat a Sludge Bomb barrage that reduced the offending device into a puddle of purple goo.

And then, it spun onto its previous Trainer.

It had almost been too fast to stop, but when the Beedrill Queen was intercepted by a Ninjask who gave its teammate- a Chansey- just enough time to form a Protect around the people, a death was avoided.

"Get it outside!" The Ninjask's Trainer yelled over the noise while other people held the Beedrill's former Trainer back. The girl moved out of the shelter, her Chansey quickly forming a Protect barrier around her.

The moment the Ninjask pushed the Beedrill Queen out of the confined shelter, the Bug and Poison-type screeched once more.

The effect was immediate- all the Beedrills stilled, enraptured by their Queen's release. As one they flew forward, keeping a fair distance away from their leader.

Everyone held their breath, wary of what would occur next.

From the shelter, the Beedrill's former Trainer ran out, screaming profanities at the girl for releasing his prized Beedrill until the Queen pointed a stinger at him and _screamed_.

The girl knew she wouldn't have been able to stop it- she _knew_ it but that didn't mean she was still prepared for what happened next.

As her Chansey poured every last bit of her energy into the Protect to at least ensure the safety of her Trainer, the Beedrill dove at the boy who stood frozen to his spot and watched on as his demise flew straight at him.

The Beedrill didn't bother to linger much longer, and in minutes the events prior felt like a freakish daydream.

But it was real, because the scream of the Chansey's Trainer startled everyone who wasn't staring at the mutilated body of the boy. There were other screams mixed in- children crying, parents begging for anyone to help them save their child who had been carried away back to the hive.

As the Viridian City Police Department and Viridian City Gym Trainees helped with the aftermath, an emergency call for help had been sent to the Indigo Plateau Pokemon Rangers to deal with the kidnappings.

A team consisting of Bug-type Specialists and Anti Bug-type Specialists arrived mere minutes later in front of the Viridian City Pokemon Centre. Upon taking the status of things they entered Viridian Forest and begun their search and rescue mission.

Rane doesn't remember how long she was trapped against the rough silk casing that the Weedle of the hive had spun, but she remembers everything else _much_ too clearly.

She remembers the initial hum from the forest. She remembers the kids in the park stopping to stare at the treeline that wasn't too far away. She remembers how the Beedrill shot out and the screams of terror from the children grew louder when a few of them were carried away.

She remembers seeing her parent's face- the two of them still in their work attire when they exited the Viridian University and made a beeline for her. Her father yelling at her mother to grab the other kids while he ran straight for her.

She remembers suddenly not feeling the ground beneath her feet, the look on her father's distraught face, the anguish of her mother's cry, and she remembers a Beedrill diving at her father's unguarded back.

She kept quiet in her little silk case, quickly realizing that the Beedrills that had stayed behind in the hive went for the ones who were the noisiest. Frantic eyes of the captured sought each other out, looking for a way out- but the silk had bound them all tightly, leaving no room for escape.

She made herself as small as possible, biting down on her lips until she drew blood just to stifle her own sobs.

The entire hive returned not too long after and by then Rane was sure she had cried herself into exhaustion.

When help finally arrived, Rane didn't think she could spare them any tears, happy ones or not.

Smokescreen crept up the hive, closed in by a strong psychic shield while the Rangers set to work. They unbounded everyone and once everyone in the perimeter was free they were teleported straight to Viridian City's Hospital for a quick checkup.

Rane doesn't remember what happened next but she does remember a waiting room where everyone who had been captured had huddled together, waiting for their respective family members to pick them up if they were too young.

No one came to pick her up.

She had curled her knees to her chest, still trembling until a calming energy washed over her, almost like a lullaby to sleep. When she looked up, a Blissey and a harried young nurse was in front of her, her professional facade cracking at the sight of her because she knew why no one was here to pick her up.

And with one look into the nurse's eyes, Rane had a sick feeling in her stomach that knew why as well.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?"

The concern in his voice was hardly subtle, and for that Rane was immensely grateful for his presence and support. She had considered the thought of asking him to come along with her but decided to do this on her own.

The duo arrived in Viridian in the record time of nine days, having stepped out of the forest gates and into the city's boundaries just a little past noon.

They were deadbeat, and Rane had felt a slight hint of guilt when she knew it was mostly on her for pushing them to travel so quickly through the maze-like forest. Basil had kept his silence and pushed on beside her easily, and she couldn't have been more grateful.

There had been days where she was sure they were borderline _running_, her frenzied mind determined to get her out of imminent and lurking danger that hid behind the thick foliage of the trees. If not for Isis' very persistent growling at her every night they set up camp, Rane thinks that they would've cleared the forest in under a week.

Having said that, the first few nights in Viridian Forest had been just plain bad.

Rane had barely gotten any sleep between the recurring nightmares and having her body's fight-flight-freeze response on overdrive, though once she figured that if she trained herself to the ground and was too exhausted to care about her surroundings, she swiftly abused that tactic.

It wasn't the best, and judging by Basil's concerned gaze burning her back every day he agreed too, but slowly and surely she could get some proper rest.

On the last night, she had felt more relaxed than she ever thought she could be. It wasn't much, but it was a start, and a start was what she needed.

They probably looked horrible when they entered the Pokemon Centre, though after getting their rooms and freshening up, Rane was determined to keep going at the day.

"Sure enough. Meet you back at the Centre for dinner?"

Basil nodded, waving her off. "Drop me a message on your Dex if you something comes up." He said before she walked off, her destination set in her mind.

"_The most important thing for you two is to truly immerse yourself into this journey, but there's another thing we'd like you to focus on- build your network, make reliable connections and sources anywhere you can. These will be the people or even Pokemon that are able to help you in some way no matter what it is."_

Those were Master's words. Rane hadn't been too happy about it but she understood where and why it had to be done.

The apprentices themselves had seen some of their Master's allies during their training period.

"_We're not saying that they need to know all about what we do- they just need to be a dependable someone when you need help no matter how small." _

That's how Rane found herself standing before Viridian University. The familiar structure sent waves of aches through her heart while she willed herself to move past the doors between the two stone statues of the college's mascot.

She received a few curious looks when she entered but she ignored them all for it was not exactly new for travelling Trainers to make their way into a university compound looking for specific lecturers or professors to enquire on certain topics. Once she received her visitor's pass and had quietly checked for directions, she was well on her way to a rather familiar room.

She knocked twice on the wooden door that led to the Department of Pokemon History and waited.

A girl around the age of sixteen or so opened the door, her long black hair tied into a ponytail swishing behind her. Her striking lilac almond-shaped eyes met Rane's own melted chocolate ones in surprise but she quickly recovered and gave the younger girl a kind smile. Rane gave one back, stepping aside to let the older girl pass before she herself stepped into the room.

"Dear Legendaries above," An achingly familiar voice gasped from the side, "Rane, is that you?"

Rane turned on her heel towards the source of the voice, a slender woman in a standard lab coat with light brown hair twisted into an updo and green eyes, frozen as she took in the sight that was Rane.

Rane bit her lip. "Professor Juniper-"

The woman rushed forward so fast all the girl could do was brace herself. The hug was tight and Rane was ready to break into sobs when she felt the woman's firm embrace.

"Profes-"

"Aunt." The Professor didn't even pull back and Rane could hear the shaking her the woman's voice when she spoke. "It's Aunt Juniper to you. Just because you pulled a disappearing act on me for two _years_ doesn't mean you call me Professor."

Rane sagged slightly into the embrace.

Even when years had passed, she was still the same.

"Dear Legendaries above, Rane, _where _have you been?" The head of department asked when she pulled arms-length away, keeping her hands clamped tightly on the girl and giving Rane a look from head to toe.

"You've grown up so well," The woman chuckled, rubbing a tear away from her eyes.

Rane took a deep breath and looked at the woman straight in her eyes and gave the Professor a reassuring smile.

"I guess I should start from the beginning,"

At the beginning of their journey, Rane had asked Azalea for some help when they were told to build their networks, going through what can be said and what should be avoided.

"You have someone in mind," Azalea stated matter-of-factly.

The one thing that people who knew Rane truly understood about her was her undeniable trust in her Master. She would never hide something from the older girl, never even bear the thought of hurting the one who pulled her onto her feet and brushed off the dust on her.

"She's my parents' colleague and she was basically family. The attack," Rane swallowed to pushed through, "Left her in the hospital because of the poison found in her bloodstream. It was only a few months ago that I saw her news on the internet."

"Professor Aurea Juniper, Head of Department of Pokemon Origins in Viridian University?" Azalea supplied knowingly.

Rane's eyes widened in surprise. "How…?"

Azalea gave her a small reassuring grin. "You've talked about her a few times around me. I pieced it together when you said she was a colleague of your parents."

That was a thing about Azalea- she paid attention to the tiniest details, the smallest things and kept it tucked away in her memory for when the situation calls for it.

The younger girl knows that her Master had done all that she could have done and more after the Beedrill incident.

Azalea had somehow dealt with all things legal, providing documents and whatever necessities that the authorities needed before she swept Rane away under her wing. The older girl had also taken the young Rane to her home and collected her belongings, making sure most of the loose ends were tied promptly and without hassle.

This instance was exactly what Rane should have expected out of the older girl.

Rane sighed, thankful it wasn't bad news at all. She had been terrified at the thought that the Professor wouldn't be a safe source. Azalea had seemed to sense that, placing a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Hey," She started, her voice soft. "I'm glad that you're being safe about all this, but sometimes you just have to take the leap and see what happens."

The girl gulped, nodding slowly. "How much can I tell her?"

Azalea gave the girl a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder and looked straight into her eyes.

"However much you want to."

* * *

Professor Juniper listened.

She did not stop the girl when she spoke, sometimes with tears in her eyes but mostly with a notable glow to her entire being.

The girl has grown up, Juniper thinks, from the way she held herself to the way she did things in her life story.

"Here I am now," Rane finished, the look in her eyes no longer quite dead. It was like a spark of fire had returned to her chocolate orbs, drawing you in like a Combee to honey.

Just like how it looked good when it was in the eyes of her students in the university, it looked even better on little Rane. The girl who she thought she lost alongside her closest friends during the attack years ago, one she never thought she'd get to see again.

But Juniper wouldn't have done Rane's parents right if she couldn't see the tiniest hint of uncertainty in those eyes.

"You've really got out there, haven't you?" Juniper smiled, a soft and proud glint in her own green eyes. "And now you're on a whole new journey too,"

Rane nodded slowly.

"This Master of yours sounds like a very capable person. I don't know exactly how much I trust her actual capabilities now, so please be careful, Rane. There are more things in the world out there to be afraid of than we know, and I have my doubts how much her team can take on without facing the consequences."

Juniper closed her eyes, willing her mind to not make up a much unfavourable scenario.

"But if anything, know that you have my support- your team too for that matter." She paused, tilting her head to her side slightly with a small smile on her face. "I know your parents would've supported this as well."

Juniper rose from her seat, moving forward to give the girl another long embrace, very assured that the girl's parents were watching on as their child grew up and moved mountains.

* * *

"I'm sorry, you know, about…" Rane trailed off as she and Basil started their walk to look for a dinner spot.

They had met up in the Centre as planned, though the girl decided it'd be a better decision to have dinner out in the city instead of the Centre's canteen.

Basil gave a confused tilt of the head, his silence asking her to fill in the gaps.

"About how I acted in the forest."

If they hadn't been standing next to each other, Basil wouldn't have gotten the softly spoken words. As it were, he visibly relaxed.

"You don't have to apologize, you know that right?" He murmured. Sure the pace Rane set them on had been tiring, but he didn't have the heart to say anything about it. "I'm proud of you for deciding to take the forest, but maybe next time we don't push ourselves to do things we're not quite ready to do, yeah?"

Rane gave him a wry grin. "Isn't that the exact opposite of what this journey is meant to be? The opposite of what Master Azalea and Redwood had been teaching us?"

Basil rolled his eyes. "I think they'd be stunned by what you did. Impressed too, for that matter, but I doubt Azalea would be too pleased."

If Rane agreed, she didn't voice her thoughts.

"There's nothing to forgive, so don't apologize." Basil summed up, glancing at her with a determined gleam in his eye that dared her to retaliate. When she didn't, they settled into lighter topics.

The duo exchanged their stories of their day as they walked, winding around different people and Pokemon. Once they found a place to their taste and had settled into their seats, Rane had finished her tale.

"I spent some time at the Trainer's Plaza," Basil started once they ordered their food, referring to the general area where Trainer's would gather for a quick battle that could be found in almost any town or city. The boy proceeded to go into a summary of his battles, recalling things he wanted to work on with Perses and anything else that had caught his attention.

"There was one _really_ good battle- a Golbat against a Ninjask." Basil murmured, thanking the waiter for the food. Rane did the same before motioning for the boy to continue.

"I didn't realize how lethal Ninjasks could be- the Golbat couldn't even land a hit." Basil paused, eyes losing focus for a brief moment like how he did when he was lost in his thoughts. "The Ninjask's Trainer was strong, there was this energy about her that reminded me of Azalea..." He trailed off, knowing that Rane understood what he meant, and Rane _did. _

There was just this undeniable difference in energy that was just so _Azalea_. If this Trainer that Basil was speaking of was an eighth of what Azalea was, Rane wanted to keep a lookout for this person.

"And I guess that's what our Masters meant by making our team into kings and queens- that by strengthening our Pokemon we would strengthen ourselves." He chuckled, a grin on his lips and his eyes shining.

Rane couldn't help but to mirror his grin.

"You know what? I think so too,"

* * *

For all the trouble they went through to get past Viridian Forest, their stay in Viridian was short-lived.

After having Basil and Professor Juniper meet early the next day, the duo decided to split up for a few hours so Basil could truly experience Viridian in his own light. Rane, on the other hand, had decided to check up on the Viridian City Pokemon Gym.

Pokemon Gyms were a good way to get any expert advice on Pokemon in general, especially on whatever type that gym was specialized in. The Gym Leaders held a great deal of respect in the town they resided in, even Gym Trainees were held in higher regard.

Considering that Isis and Perses were to evolve into partial Ground-types, Rane had decided it couldn't hurt to ask for a few pointers.

But that wasn't the main reason she wanted to check out the infamous Gym- from what her Master had told her, the Ground-type leader Giovanni had turned out to be the leader of Team Rocket. While the news had been kept from the public to prevent a mass panic that would result in the loss in trust of Gym Leaders and the Pokemon League itself, a certain few were still very much aware of this; especially for people like Master Azalea.

She rounded the corner that would lead to her destination, jumping back in surprise right when another figure came into view.

The only thing that kept Rane from falling was the firm grip on her forearm that kept her steady.

Her eyes met those of almond-shaped lilac ones that were widened in surprise, a soft gasp escaping the person's parted lips.

"Are you alright?" The raven-haired girl asked, a Ninjask flying closely right above her shoulder.

Rane nodded, an easy smile on her lips. "It's nothing, I'm alright!"

The older girl gave her a lighthearted chuckle. "Sorry for running into you- I wasn't paying attention to where I was heading." She paused, taking in the sight of the girl. "You're the one who went to see Professor Juniper yesterday, aren't you? It's nice to meet you, I'm Jace."

Rane's eyes lit up with realization, "Yes, that's me. You were there before me- I'm Rane, it's nice to meet you too."

A light buzzing sound turned their attention to Jace's Ninjask, who Jace rolled her eyes but shot a fond smile at. "This is my Ninjask, Arash." The Trainer introduced while Rane gave the Bug/Flying-type a timid nod.

"Are you planning on challenging the Gym?" She asked offhandedly, gesturing to the building.

The younger girl shook her head as she waved her hands, "Ah, no, not really. Just wanted to check it out."

Jace nodded, a look in her eyes that Rane couldn't quite place what it meant. "The new leader's not in, but he's just as tough as Giovanni."

"You've battled him- Giovanni, I mean?"

Jace gave a nod in response, a fond smile in her eyes. "Took me three tries before I got the Earth Badge,"

Rane's eyes lit up with admiration.

While Giovanni was a leader of a crime syndicate, he was first and foremost known to be the toughest Gym Leader in the Kanto Pokemon League. Even though it is possible to defeat him, much like how Champion Red had done so, it was still a rare occurrence to be the holder of an Earth Badge.

Arash had chosen this time to buzz around Jace's head, much to his Trainer's amusement.

Jace shot her an apologetic smile. "I gotta run. It's nice meeting you, Rane, maybe I'll see you around?" The lilac-eyed girl grinned, extending a hand to the younger girl who shook it firmly.

"I hope so!" The comparatively rookie Trainer grinned before waving goodbye at the older girl.

Jace was interesting, Rane decided, keeping a mental note to check up on her in the Trainer database later on. After all, someone who had managed to defeat Giovanni- despite the number of tries- was still someone to keep an eye out for.

Once she had made her way to the front entrance of the gym, Rane stopped and peered through the glass doors before entering.

It held the standard front desk for registration, and official certificates lined the wall behind the desk. There were a few seats to the side, not unlike the entrance to the doctor's office. All in all, it didn't seem like there had been much of an extra personalization to the front of the gym.

"Are you here for a battle?"

The voice shook Rane out of her trance- she had been reading the certificates on the wall, the very one that stated that Green Oak was the leader of Viridian City Gym, alongside a profile shot of the very same person who was speaking to her now.

For someone who became a Gym Leader at the age of fourteen, Green really had the whole aura down to a pat. She had seen the video of the battle between Green and Red at the Pokemon League Championships and it had been an awe-inspiring sight.

The current fifteen-year-old raised a brow at the girl who just realized she hadn't answered him.

"Ah, sorry, uhm, no." Rane cringed at herself before continuing, "I'm actually here for some advice," She asked shyly.

When Green didn't say anything, she elaborated.

"I know Giovanni had a Nidoking and Nidoqueen so I wanted to ask for some help," She explained meekly, almost shy at the boy's piercing gaze. Basil's eyes were of a darker shade, she mused.

At the mention of the Pokemon the boy seemed to relax slightly, finally giving a nod in response to her words.

"Are you having trouble?" He asked, startling the girl slightly. She hadn't expected him to ask, and while he may not be a Ground-type Master like Giovanni is, Green Oak was still the successor of the Viridian Gym and grandson of a world-renowned Pokemon Professor Samuel Oak.

"Not really," She shrugged, "Just wanted some advice for the future. I have a female Nidoran at the moment," The girl added.

Green nodded.

"Its toxins are its best weapon right now- find a way to be efficient in that. Once it's evolved the armour plating will keep it from much harm but don't rely solely on that."

"Armor can only protect you so much," Green said, though Rane had a feeling his words weren't exactly directed at her anymore- a past memory, maybe- but she listened on nonetheless.

"Anyone stubborn enough can break through it."

* * *

The words echoed in her mind long after she left the Viridian Gym and found her way by the playground beside Viridian University.

Professor Juniper had told her about the monument during their initial talk but Rane couldn't bear to visit old memories so soon, so she had waited. Waited until the very last minute when she had to leave Viridian and not come back for a long, long time.

But Professor Juniper wasn't the first one to tell her about it, Master was.

Master had pulled her aside before they began their journey, her voice soft and kind as she relayed her findings to Rane. She had just found out about it not too long ago, having been busy with work so the other girl could only nod, at a loss for words back then.

Even now she can't seem to find something to say.

The plaque has all the names of those lost in the attack and she easily traces out the familiar names that tug her heartstrings.

When the attack was over, Rane had been at a loss.

As a child, she had no known relative to turn to. She had her parents colleagues, but even then she knew things were tough on them. The only person who she had thought of getting help from- Professor Juniper- had been stung by a Beedrill's stinger but the damage was salvageable, however she was out of commission and therefore Rane truly had no one to take her in.

If the attack hadn't been so widespread throughout the city, it might have been less of an issue to find someone to help her. But the thing with Beedrills was that they had a big population, and they covered so much ground that it had thrown everything into a chaotic state.

To this day, Rane still can't think of anyone who would have been able to help her out had it not been for Master Azalea.

"I'm sorry it took so long for me to come back."

Isis gently rubbed her nose against Rane's ankle, a grounding presence as the girl barely got the words out of her mouth.

It had been painful,_ so_ painful to come to terms with the news. Rane only remembers the days blending together after the curled up in Master's temporary accommodation with whoever Master would leave behind to watch over her.

From what Master told her, Viridian was recovering from this mess of an attack and the prospects of someone willing to take her in was nil.

But Master being Master helped her then and there, and from that point it was history.

"Papa, Mama," The words left her lips and she could say no more.

The thing about crying was that it hits you out of nowhere. The emotions drown you, and it is the first wave that overwhelms you.

It's like being out at sea: one moment the waves are calm and you know that there's solid ground beneath your waddling feet, and the next it's like you're in the middle of a storm and there's nothing but the unknown depths under you.

Rane doesn't know how long she stood there crying, and frankly, she doesn't care, because she knows this:

She thought her world ended that day, and she knows a part of it definitely did, but she's still here.

And that has to mean something.


End file.
